After calling Tyler several times to discuss all that was going on and getting nothing but his voicemail, I broke down and called Blac back and agreed to meet him at Shady’s, a relaxed little restaurant with a two-level outdoor patio, on North Halsted Street.
When he walked in, I was already stationed at the bar, sipping from a short glass of cognac and a glass of ice water.
He wore a sparkling, crisp white-collared shirt that made his dark skin look amazing, a pair of jeans, and black leather shoes. When he saw me, his smile was as brilliant as the shirt he wore. He came over and without hesitation, gave me a hug as though we had known and loved each other for years.
“I’m glad you called me back,” Blac said, sitting on the stool beside me. “I was worried you wouldn’t.”
I turned to him. “I really wasn’t going to. I didn’t think it was a good idea meeting you like this. But then I said, why not? You seem like a nice enough guy.”
“Why isn’t it a good idea?”
“It’s a secret I’m keeping from my brother. There’s a lot of stuff going on with him right now, and I’m not sure if this is right.”
“I understand, but why is it a secret just because you don’t tell him about meeting me? It’s not like you tell Eric every time you go out for drinks with a friend. Are those secrets, too?”
“He obviously doesn’t know you’re gay,” I said.
“Does he have to? He obviously doesn’t know you’re gay either,” Blac said. “You didn’t tell him, why should I?”
I felt more comfortable about the meeting, seeing that Eric hadn’t let slip what he had found out about me. I figured if he hadn’t told his best friend, then he hadn’t told anyone. “I guess you’re right.”
We talked more, had a few more drinks, then moved outside to the crowded patio.
During our conversation, I noticed that Blac seemed to know everything there was to know about me. “Gee, do you know the day I lost my virginity, too?” I said, a little concerned.
“Okay, I’m not some stalker or anything,” Blac explained. “Eric said you were a great man, and I wanted to know what made you all that, so I Googled you. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, I guess I don’t,” I said, a little flattered that he had taken such an interest.
“Prove you don’t mind.”
“How?” I said, smiling. Blac was standing in front of me, not six inches away. He was staring right at my lips.
“Can I have a kiss?”
By now, I had forgotten how many drinks I had. I wasn’t sloppy drunk, but I was a little tipsy and feeling somewhat playful.
“You’ll have to take it.”
Blac smiled, leaned in, and among the dozens of people on the patio having drinks and enjoying music, Blac gave me a kiss. I parted my lips, invited him to probe deeper, and by the end of it, my head felt light. We had shared a beautiful kiss.
Breathless, I said, “Wow. That was nice.”
“There’s more,” Blac said. I felt him take my hand, pull on my middle finger. “Maybe we can walk back to your car.”
My imagination started to go crazy, forcing a smile on my face. “Oh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Let’s go and find out,” Blac said.